Wowzers, it's that time again... This weekend marks living in New York for 6 years! I feel like every year this day sneaks up on me -- the longer I'm here the faster time seems to be going. Even when life gets a little crazy though, this is one post I make sure I write every year because I think it's so important to share milestones and document where life has taken me. I must say, this year does feel quite a bit different to write too. SO much has changed in the last year (exciting stuff!) that while there are certainly many constants, my life as a whole looks a lot different than years past. 

My NYC anniversary has always been a little bittersweet for me. While I've enjoyed my time in NYC I've been pretty outspoken with my struggles with homesickness which has always been something that tugged hard on my heart. And while I definitely still have my moments I don't feel sad at all today.. It may have taken 6 years (dang that's a long time) but with all the changes in the last year I'm feeling prettyyyy great about everything.

On biz...

In the last year I've had 4 pretty major life changes -- I left my long-time job, started my own business, moved in with Chris, and then moved into a new apartment. Holy changes! While every year certainly brings growth, you could say I added some miracle grow to this year because it's been a heck of a year for personal and professional growth.

While all of those are pretty big changes, starting my own business has definitely been the biggest change. This time last year, I had some ideas and goals in mind for taking a chance in the freelance world, but let's be real here. I had no idea if I'd actuallyyyy be able to make it happen. It was certainly a big risk, but no risk no reward right?! While I certainly did some planning (and saving mulah) I approached starting my biz with the same mentality I did moving to NYC... Why not?! If it doesn't work out I can always move back.. or find another adventure. And while I'm not normally one to brag... guys can I take a moment to say that I have KILLED it since taking this risk?! Serious #Humblebrag right there but I am SO proud of how well I've done so far. Don't get me wrong it has been A LOT of work and late nights, but danggg has it been worth it. Even more than being able to pay those bills -- which is obviously top priority -- proving to myself I could do this has been so rewarding. It turns out I'm a lot better at this business thing than I thought I might be 😉.

More on that reward part too! This flexibility thing... ah-mazing. We've had so much going on this year so having the flexibility to take off a little early any day of the week, meet a friend in town for biz in the middle of the day or book flights mid-week has opened so many doors. I just booked a trip home for October and December which will be my 3rd and 4th trips home THIS year! HOORAY for being able to work anywhere I have a wifi connection! Which means I will have officially spent more time (and still have some to add) back in Washington in the last year than in the previous 5 years combined... And that's a BIG deal to me. I've been so much happier and while airport goodbyes still suck, knowing I can come back for a visit pretty much whenever I want is an incredible feeling.

On moving...

I've been dating Chris almost as long as I've lived in the city (6 years next month) and while I was ready to live with him at least 3 years ago, he's always been on his own schedule. After being very patient... ok let's be real I haven't been that patient he finallyyyy decided this was the year he was willing to part with his longest long-term relationship.. his apartment. Of all of the changes over the last year this one was the easiest for me. Let's get real.. when you live on the same block and stay over at least 6 of the 7 days you pretty much know what you're getting into and I was very excited about this new chapter for us. Plus, being able to split rent while I embarked on my freelance adventure was certainly a nice perk too. 

The toughest part of moving in together was actually the fact that we ended up doing it twice. After Chris moved into the studio we ended up having to move again because my landlord sold the building (yes that's happened twice to me now). That process was a little stressful at times, and I was nervous about applying for the first time being self-employed but looking back the process actually was pretty smooth and now we have a much bigger space. Helloooo having a bedroom and backyard! So even though that caused a lot of stress, I'm very happy with where we are now and cannotttt wait to share an apartment tour now that I'm done with all of my projects (more on that later). I was joking earlier you know you've made it in NYC when you have enough space (in our case indoor and outdoor) where you can be lazy and text the other person from another space haha. So according to my theory we have finally "made it".

On the city...

With all of this year's changes, I can honestly say I enjoy living in the city SO much more. While I liked it before most of the time.. even after being here so long, it always felt temporary to me. And while I certainly don't know if I'll be here forever, with the changes over the last year I have totally different vibes about it. Plus working from home perks... if the weather is God awful -- dead of winter and summer I'm talking to you -- you can minimize some of the time you have to go outside. Not having to commute the majority of the time is a whole other reason to love the city more now too! 

I finally feel like I can have the best of both worlds and it is such an amazing feeling. This sounds soooo cheesy, but I've had this dream vision for what my life could look like one day if I worked really hard and I truly feel like it has become a reality in the last year. So cheers to you NYC, it's been a wild ride and it's certainly not over but boy am I excited for the next year together.

I'm so excited to kick-off a new feature of blog called "Blogging Through the City" highlighting other awesome bloggers in the big apple. I got to meet the truly delightful Lily Sage of Sage Beauty at Lovely Happenings' Fall Event and I'm so excited to introduce you to her

AO: Tell us about yourself! How long have you been blogging and why did you decide to start Sage Beauty?

LS: I have been writing Sage Beauty for two and half years. I have always had a passion for beauty, fashion, and writing, and I have been a makeup artist and beauty expert for most of my career.  So I decided to create a blog where I could share all my tips and help women look and feel fabulous. Since I started the blog I also share my love of knitting, places I travel to, personal observations, and recipes in addition to beauty and style.

AO: How long have you lived in city and what are some of your favorite things about being a NYC blogger?

LS: I have lived in NYC for ten years! I’m proud to hit my decade mark this year.  I fall in love with the city more and more every year because it has an abundance of art, fashion, and music. To me, New York is a place that fosters creativity and originality. Being a blogger in NYC has allowed me to be find out about the newest trends first, to meet the people who have created my favorite brands, and to not be afraid to try new things and share it all with my readers.

AO: Do you have any favorite experiences you’ve had while being a blogger that you may not have had otherwise?

LS: One of my favorite experiences was meeting Miko Branch, one of the co-founders of Miss Jessie’s! It’s a brand I love and it was such an amazing experience to learn from her. I admire her so much as a female entrepreneur and leader in the beauty industry. 

AO: Where do you find inspiration for your blog? Do you have any favorite posts you have written?

LS: Many of my post ideas come from my everyday life or a beauty question from a client or friend.  When I discover a product I really love I can’t wait to share it, or when I keep getting asked about recommendations for specific products (foundation or eye cream), or shopping tips I put it in a blog post because I’m sure other women would love to have that knowledge as well. I also love writing about products that are unexpected. I recently did a blog post on the benefits of sleeping on a silk pillowcase. I have seen such a difference in my skin and hair since I started using it.

AO: You share so many amazing beauty and fashion tips on your blog. Where are some of your favorite places to shop in the city or to pick up items for your beauty DIYs?

LS: I love doing beauty DIY posts because I grew up learning so many fun and effective homemade beauty treatments from my grandmother. For DIY posts my first stop is usually Whole Foods to pick up natural and organic ingredients that are great for head to toe beauty such as Coconut Oil or Shea Butter. When I am shopping for beauty products I love going to Blue Mercury which carries many of my favorite beauty brands, and sometimes I discover new or hard to find brands there as well.

AO: You have such fun style and your makeup always looks just gorgeous. If you had to pick 3 of your top beauty or fashion tips what would they be?

LS: Thank you for the compliment ☺ That’s such a great question! My top three tips would be:

• There is a perfect shade of red lipstick for everyone. Don’t be afraid try out a bold red lip; it’s classic, polished, and it easily transitions from day to night.

• Beautifully maintained brows are a must. They frame the face and give an instant lift. Your eye makeup will also look better.

• We wear a lot of black in NYC, but I love wearing color all year round. Some easy ways to add some color into your wardrobe are with your accessories. If I’m wearing a little black dress I accessorize with a printed clutch or colorful heels.

AO: You are just fantastic and I know my readers will also LOVE your blog as much as I do. Where can they connect with you?

• Blog: www.sagebeautyblog.com

• Facebook: Sage Beauty Blog

• Twitter: @sagebeutyblog

• Instagram: @sagebeautyblog

• Pinterest: @sagebeautyblog

• Snapchat: @sagebeautyblog

AO: You’re also going to be sharing a fun guest blog coming up that I can’t wait for. Can you give my readers a little sneak peek of what’s to come?

LS: I’m so excited to share with your readers one of my favorite stores to shop at for home décor ideas, beauty, and fashion all in one post, along with some tips for adding a bit of glamour to your bathroom.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for tuning in everyone and a special thanks to Lily for collabing on this post!

Guys, I got a new mattress! Not just any mattress either... A mattress from Brooklyn Bedding and spoiler alert, I LOVE it. So much so, I really just can't stop talking about it -- there have definitely been several Snapchats and texts sent out (you may have gotten one).

I've been thinking about getting a new mattress for quite some time, but let's be honest getting a new mattress in the city is kind of a drag. Plus, I didn't just want any mattress. I've never actually picked out my own mattress so I wanted to do that adult thing and make sure I did my research and found one that would be game changer -- I'm terrible at sleeping through the night. And hey, we spend a lot of our lives sleeping, it should be comfy! I did a lot of research but hadn't taken the plunge yet, so you can imagine how excited I was when Brooklyn Bedding reached out to me to see if I'd like to check out their mattresses. Cheyeahhh!

Not only did Brooklyn Bedding have amazing reviews of their mattresses (they're rated #1 on Amazon) but I also found out that the beds are delivered in a box! Yes, a box how cool is that? Totallyyyy perfect for someone living in the city like me. Normally ordering a mattress involves picking one out, scheduling delivery service (which always seems to take longer than you'd like), and planning your day around the delivery. Not with Brooklyn Bedding though. You pick out your mattress and it ships free usually within 3-4 days! Cool right? So here's a look at how the process works because I know you're curious!

The box arrived in my apartment building lobby and it took a little bit to get it up the stairs (dang you 5th floor walk-up) but was totally doable with 2 people. The mattress is made up of 3 different types of foams Talalay Latexm Dunlop Latex, and poly foam so there aren't any springs which allows it to be rolled up and into a box. Once you open the box the mattress looks like this!

Once you pull the mattress out of the box it's super simple, all you have to do is put it on your box spring (or flat surface foundation) and unroll it out of its plastic wrapping.

Once it is laid flat you just cut the edges of the plastic casing and POOF the mattress starts to expand like a marshmallow. It was kind of the coolest thing ever.. not going to lie.

I have to say, I was a little surprised that the bed poofed out and into position so fast. I was thinking it might have a little bit of a curve or what not until it got settled but it was pretty instantaneous.

Cue the part where I just laid on my new mattress for a good 30-45 mins in a lazy coma once I realized how comfy it was repeating "I love you new bed..." It was in that moment that I realized just what a good job they did picking out their hashtag #BestMattressEver. Because after that moment I had decided just that.

Eventually I did decide I needed to do the responsible grown up thing and put my sheets and comforter onto the bed.

So we've covered that the bed is super comfy anddd how cool the delivery process is, but there's also some other neat features worth mentioning!

• Personalized Comfort Levels: Brooklyn Bedding isn't about that one-size-fits-all thing, which is why they have 3 different options -- Soft, medium, and firm (I went with the medium option)

• Factory Direct and 100% Made in the U.S.: The business has been around sine 1995 so they aren't newbies to the market plus everything is made in the U.S.

• 120 Night Trial: Not sure about getting a new mattress? Well, they offer a 120 night trial (which is longer than competitors in the market) so you can make sure your new mattress is just what you're looking for. Looking for something different? That's cool too, they'll pick it up free of charge so you don't really have anything to loose.

• Financing Options: Mattresses are an investment and while you might want a new one your pesky budget might be getting in the way. Living in NYC I totally get it! Luckily they offer a financing option too so you can spread out some of the payments if you need to.

And there you have it! If you couldn't tell already I'm definitely a huge fan of Brooklyn Bedding. They made the hassle of getting a new bed in the city totally smooth and holy comfiness. Boy, what a difference having an amazing mattress can make. My advice? Check them out, you won't regret it!

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**Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. Brooklyn Bedding provided me with a complimentary mattress in exchange for a blog post. This post and all opinions stated are based on my own ideas and honest experience with the product and has not been influenced based upon the sponsorship.